Altered Carbon

I haven't read the novel upon which this show is based, so I can't comment on whether or not this is a faithful adaptation; I am, however, a huge fan of the sci-fi subgenre commonly known as "cyberpunk" (in case you're not familiar with the term, think of films/stories set in an urban, dystopian high-tech future like 'Blade Runner', 'Akira', 'Ghost In The Shell', 'Strange Days' or 'The Matrix' and you get the idea), and as such I can absolutely testify to the fact that 'Altered Carbon' is one impressive looking example of that particular brand of science fiction.

What stands out right from the start is the worldbuilding. Many of the characters have complicated backstories that are crucial to the plot, and the rich history of their world is equally important, but what this series does remarkably well is show rather than tell. Instead of relying on lengthy monologues for exposition which have a tendency to weigh a story down and make the narrative lose momentum, we get the clues we need via flashbacks or just by seeing and learning about this world through the eyes of the protagonists. And what a world it is: the production values are insane, especially considering this is a TV show. There is so much eye candy for a sci-fi nerd like me; nearly every shot is packed with such an abundance of visual information that I had to hit pause several times to take it all in.

But the world of 'Altered Carbon' isn't just "decorated" with visual effects and future tech to make it look cool (though it DOES look very cool); everything we see has a function and is there for a reason. It feels real and has that "lived-in" look that even big-budget Hollywood productions rarely get right. What I should probably also mention is that this is a hard R-rated show (if this were a feature film, it would actually perhaps be closer to a NC-17 than an R) which doesn't hold back in terms of sex and violence. Also, if you're not familiar with the genre or used to a more straight forward narrative where everything is explained to you, 'Altered Carbon' may initially feel a bit confusing or even overwhelming, because you're being thrown head first into a strange new world where you - like the protagonist - have to process an overload of information in order to get a sense of orientation. Stick with it though, and things will start to become clearer.

As for the plot itself, I won't give anything away here; it's enough to know that it starts with the protagonist being brought back from "retirement" to solve a murder mystery. But unlike the grand daddy of all cyberpunk films, 'Blade Runner', this has less of a brooding, "noir" vibe to it; instead it's an action-heavy, at times pulpy but very densely plotted story with lots of colorful characters and so much going on that it doesn't drag for a second.

To sum it all up: for sci-fi and cyberpunk fans this show is a must; for all other carbon-based life-forms, well, it may not be an "altering" experience, and it certainly isn't perfect, but if you don't give up after the first couple of episodes you could be in for a nice surprise. 8 stars out of 10 from me.

Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: imdb.com/list/ls075552387/

Favorite films: IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/

Lesser-Known Masterpieces: imdb.com/list/ls070242495/

Favorite Low-Budget and B-Movies: imdb.com/list/ls054808375/

I am NOT a fan of science fiction, which Altered Carbon is, but I thoroughly enjoyed season one. The main actor was fantastic, the concept was interesting, the images were beautifully done and were a feast for your imagination combining both futuristic concepts while still incorporating retro ideas and images, and the script was such that you were rooting for the protagonist. I loved the idea of the Raven hotel with its Poe A.I. host. Having the A.I./human hate to friendship allowed for some nice growth over the season. Some of the rich vs poor social commentary was interesting and not as trite or black and white as you would expect. This had a everyone roots for the underdog vibe from the get go. I liked that they didn't insult the audience by explaining everything from the onset, it gave your mind things to puzzle out, which kept you engaged. Watch season one, you will not be sorry...even if you are not a sci-fi fan. My 7/10 rating is for season one only...you can stop watching at the end of season one and you will have a nice complete story. (I really wish I had stopped here.) Season Two- If I were rating season two I would give it one star, but only because you can't give negative ratings on IMDb. This was one of the worst things I have seen in the last couple of years and it was particularly disappointing because season one was so good. It really left a bitter taste in your mouth and has tainted to a certain degree how I feel about Altered Carbon all together. The show runners made some horrible choices of actors for season two, I think they were more concerned about checking boxes than actually delivering good content to their audience...which is a shame because they could have probably checked some of those same boxes by making some different choices and delivered a solid good quality show. Instead there was horrible and horribly delivered lines/dialogue by some pretty terrible actors...and clearly not as much energy was put in to plot/story development. The story was not engaging or entertaining...it was a snooze-fest. It also lacked new and interesting images...it didn't even keep the interesting images from season one (which shouldn't have cost them any more money to re-use!). The only thing that I liked from season one that they kept was our hotel Raven...but our poor Poe A.I. Is messed up. The only small glimmer of hope and microscopic light was found in our newly introduced archeologist A.I., but they managed to sour that before the end of season two as well. Please, please do not watch season two. Friends don't let friends watch season two!

They did the series a disservice by miscasting Kovacs in season 2. Anthony Mackie is a great actor in his own right but failed to capture and continue Joel Kinnaman's and Will Yun Lee's take on Takeshi Kovacs. Takeshi is a serious Japanese guy and that didn't translate.

This could have been Anthony's opportunity to show his acting range. All I could think about was his Falcon character in the Marvel movies.

I'm so sad they cancelled the series, I really loved the idea of the immortality of consciousness.

All I have to say, is that season one was much more tightly written. Fewer characters, better director.(s) better cinematography, better camera manipulation? It took me a while to watch season two based off of my trust in those who said it was nothing like season one. But eventually I decided to watch it. I love the lore of altered Carbon, but season two was way more bloated and sort of directorially all over the place. I really can't emphasize the fact that it was such a bloated eight episodes. Which really makes sense when you watch it. But I really do love the first season. It goes down in history as far as on my favorite seasons of any show ever.

I can't say enough how much I absolutely loved Altered Carbon, especially Season 1! I loved Season one so much I just binged it for the second time recently. I know a lot of people didn't like Season 2 but I didn't think it eas that bad. It's just not close to Season 1. Joel Kinnamon and Martha Higareda were both excellent in that first season. They also had a fantastic supporting cast filled with good actors like James Purefoy, Chris Conner, Will Yun Lee, etc. This is a must watch for any sci-fi fan but even if you're not a big sci-fi fan this show is still worth checking out. Bottom line...is Season 2 as good as 1? Of course not, it would've been nearly impossible, but it's still a decent show worth watching!